Van Jones, Macklemore, and Michelle Romero Teamed Up With the Yes on 1631 Campaign to Organize a ‘Get Out the Vote’ Training at University of Washington

SEATTLE -- On Wednesday, October 10th, Green For All organized a “Get Out The Vote” training for Yes on 1631 at the University of Washington, in coordination and collaboration with the Yes on 1631 campaign and UAW 4121 Climate Justice Workgroup.

More than 200 students attended the training to learn about Initiative 1631, and how to make a difference in their community. Green For All’s founder and CNN political commentator Van Jones, and Grammy award-winning hip-hop artist Macklemore, joined us at the event to express their support for Yes on 1631.

Macklemore spoke from the heart as a Washington native and father, saying how he feels it is important to protect clean air for his daughter, and how families raising their children all deserve the same rights to clean and healthy neighborhoods, no matter where they live. Meanwhile, Van underscored the importance of the coalition that has formed of more than 250 organizations supporting Yes on 1631. He also stressed the urgency of the moment and need for volunteers to step up their commitments to beat back the Big Oil opposition: “If you plan to knock on 50 doors, knock on 100!”

Green For All’s national director Michelle Romero and President Fawn Sharp of the Quinault Indian Nation both emphasized the beauty of this measure in including people of color at the decision-making table and helping to deliver a clean economy and healthy environment for all.

Following the energizing speeches, the students took to the streets to knock on doors and raise awareness about the initiative throughout the surrounding Seattle neighborhoods.

Green For All has worked for years to hold polluters accountable for the damage they cause our communities, and to ensure that those hit first and worst by pollution do not benefit last and least in the clean economy. Washington ballot initiative 1631 is a huge opportunity to make progress on both fronts.

Initiative 1631 would make the state’s biggest carbon polluters pay a fee for polluting. The fee would be set at $15 per metric ton of carbon they produce and would increase $2 per ton each year until the state’s pollution reduction goals are met, encouraging them to clean up their act. Washingtonians don’t get to pollute for free; If you litter, you pay a fine. Polluters should have to pay to pick up their own “trash” too, so the first part of the ballot measure is about accountability.

The second part of the measure is about how the funds raised are used. Funds raised from the fee would be invested directly back into local communities most affected by pollution to bring clean energy and green jobs to those who need them it most. A portion of the funds would be targeted to low-income, disadvantaged neighborhoods, and to support job training and a just transition for impacted workers. This is a critical aspect for delivering a clean economy for all.

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